MAY ROOT - Progress Thread

Spring is here , therefore, our garden this month is a BUTTERFLY GARDEN.







A butterfly garden (also known as a butterfly sanctuary or butterfly habitat) is an area for butterflies to feed and thrive. The plants you grow in your butterfly garden attract lepidopterans (butterflies and moths), which help with pollination. A butterfly garden provides a colorful array of nectar-producing plants that not only attract butterflies (and often hummingbirds as well), but offers plants to feed the caterpillar stage of their life cycle.

A garden that attracts butterflies will also bring native bees and birds. They are all really good for the environment and play a role in increasing biodiversity – the variety of plants, animals and micro-organisms and their ecosystems.

Here are the members and their goals so far.
Remember if your name doesn't appear, check to make sure you are a member. Those members whose tickers are not working are marked BLANK. Please repair your tickers.

Ameise1 3 / 10 30.0%
atozgrl 8 / 25 32.0%
awwarma 3 / 10 30.0%
benitastarnd 34 / 72 ★★ 47.2%
Bookbrained 14 / 70 20.0%
brakketh 9 / 34 26.5%
bumblesby 7 / 20 ★ 35.0%
ca_dmv 3 / 12 25.0%
Caramellunacy 12 / 24 ★★★ 50.0%
Cecilturtle 26 / 50 ★★★ 52.0%
clue 14 / 40 35.0%
Coach_of_Alva 19 / 25 ★★★★★ 76.0%
connie53 12 / 36 ★ 33.3%
crazy4reading 9 / 30 30.0%
curioussquared 39 / 65 ★★★★ 60.0%
CurrerBell 14 / 50 28.0%
cyderry 38 / 72 ★★★ 52.8%
deep220 11 / 50 22.0%
detailmuse 25 / 40 ★★★★ 62.5%
DisassemblyOfReason 10 / 100 10.0%
EGBERTINA★ 293 / 25 1172.0%
ell-in-or 6 / 10 ★★★★ 60.0%
emmanuelfakunle BLANK / 7 #VALUE!
enemyanniemae 15 / 50 30.0%
Familyhistorian 15 / 65 23.1%
floremolla BLANK / 40 #VALUE!
fuzzi★ 66 / 50 132.0%
handshakes 7 / 32 21.9%
HelenBaker 13 / 48 27.1%
Henrik_Madsen 9 / 50 18.0%
highlandcow 5 / 40 12.5%
humouress 7 / 25 28.0%
Jackie_K 24 / 40 ★★★★ 60.0%
JaxlynLeigh 2 / 25 8.0%
jhbaker BLANK / 12 #VALUE!
kac522 27 / 75 ★ 36.0%
karenmarie BLANK / 10 #VALUE!
karns5306 1 / 75 1.3%
KWharton 4 / 12 ★ 33.3%
Kyler_Marie 16 / 60 26.7%
LadyBookworth 10 / 30 ★ 33.3%
lindapanzo 43 / 84 ★★★ 51.2%
LisaMorr 16 / 40 ★ 40.0%
madhatter22 11 / 50 22.0%
majkia 36 / 65 ★★★ 55.4%
martencat BLANK / 18 #VALUE!
MissSos 3 / 25 12.0%
MissWatson 42 / 75 ★★★ 56.0%
murphyse 4 / 10 ★ 40.0%
nebula21 2 / 12 16.7%
nenasfilla BLANK / 64 #VALUE!
postsbygina 11 / 55 20.0%
QuestingA 18 / 50 ★ 36.0%
rabbitprincess 34 / 40 ★★★★★ 85.0%
readingtangent 9 / 55 16.4%
Rebeki 12 / 30 ★ 40.0%
ritacate 14 / 24 ★★★★ 58.3%
Robertgreaves 27 / 72 ★ 37.5%
rocketjk 8 / 30 26.7%
rosalita memorial 44 / 50 ★★★★★ 88.0%
sallylou61 10 / 24 ★★ 41.7%
smc1sara 3 / 20 15.0%
si 11 / 25 ★★ 44.0%
starkittyn BLANK / 25 #VALUE!
torontoc 6 / 30 20.0%
twogreys 9 / 24 ★ 37.5%
wandaly 8 / 24 ★ 33.3%
wood0360 BLANK / 25 #VALUE!
zombiecat 3 / 10 30.0%



We actually have some fast starters - fuzzi and EGBERTINA - have already reached their goals!

Those leading the pack toward their goals are:

rabbitprincess 85%
Coach_of_Alva 76%
detailmuse 62%
Jackie_K 60%
curioussquared 60%
ell-in-or 60%

The goal for month is 1,105, let's get reading!!

Hi Cyderry, butterfly gardens are so beautiful.
Just quickly my ticker should read 10/30, not 5/30.
Thank you for all that do.
And have a wonderful weekend of reading.

I love to see butterflies in my garden. Nice theme, Chèli.

That's a wonderful theme, Chèli, thank you!!

What a lovely theme! For all we plant nectar rich plants, the butterflies in our area all just go for the self-seeded buddleias that appear in cracks in walls and pavements. That stuff is catnip (butterflynip?) to them!

Our local bees are particularly fond of our ceanothus and giant hebe, and also our cotoneaster (which almost never has berries, but has tiny nondescript pink flowers in early summer which they go bananas for!).

We love seeing the butterflies in our yard. We have black-eyed susans and coneflowers and I didn't even know they attracted them; thanks for posting that infographic - we'll look into some of these other plants!

My first ROOT for May (#25 for the year) has been added to my own ticker.

I had my first ROOT for May. No tickers updated. The book was the mystery/thriller She Rides Shotgun and I listened to it while driving around in the car. This one was an Alex Award Winner back in 2018. We had it in our library because of that award. The Alex Award is given to 12 titles each year that are adult books but are deemed suitable by the ALA to be read by YA readers. I liked this book but question that it would be suitable for YA's. But, that's not my judgement to make.

Butterflies are certainly flitting away in my neighbourhood which is a nice change from the snow and the rain. I know a couple conservation areas that have butterfly gardens and they are beautiful to visit.

I've been sitting on my laurels a bit, reading non-ROOTs but I don't want to get too comfortable! I finished a first for May with C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton.
My personal ticker is updated.

reporting ROOT # 13 for the year, # 1 for May

10 minuten 38 seconden in deze vreemde wereld by Elif Shafak

Own ticker updated.

I just finished ROOT #15 toward a goal of 50. Part of my problem has been spending time on Kindle (which I don't count towards ROOTs, although it's doing a nice job for me on reaching the goal on the 75 Books Challenge). Part of the problem also, though, is that I'm reading a fair number of chunksters, which is helping to contribute to my total and the group total on Big Fat Books but which isn't contributing as much to ROOTs as some quickie SciFi or YA or Middle Reader might do.

And part of the chunkster issue is that I've set a goal for myself, over the next few years, of reading just about every significant 19th century French novel (as well as branching off into other French lit). I've got a complete 17-volume edition of the 1899 centenary translations La Comedie Humaine that I've been working on, and all of these average in the 750-800 pages per volume – though I acquired this set a couple years ago (at an extremely good price, <$100), so when I do finish a volume it at least does count as a ROOT.

>12 CurrerBell:
I sympathize. I am also reading a good deal more of the 450-500 page novels this year than I have. There is no doubt that affects the numbers of books you get read.

Reporting ROOT # 14 for the year, # 2 for May

De veertig regels van liefde by Elif Shafak

Own ticker updated.

I just wanted to give you all a heads up - I may seem to be missing in action for the near future. My SIL has been in hospice care for the last month and it seems that the end is near. We will be traveling to be with her at the end, so I might not be available as usual. Selfishly I just want her to go peacefully and not endure any more pain but I will miss her when she goes.

😓😭💔

So sorry to hear about your SIL. Hope she goes peacefully.

So sorry to hear that, Chèli.

Reporting ROOT # 15 for the year # 3 for May

Schip der zielen by Kate Mosse

>15 cyderry: Such a difficult moment to go through, Chèli. My thoughts are with you and your family.

>15 cyderry: Chèli, I am so sorry to hear that. My condolences to you and all your family. Take care of yourself, and we'll be here when you are able to be back.

>15 cyderry: Sending my condolences to you and your family during this time of sadness.

>15 cyderry: So sorry to hear this, Chèli. Take all the time you need to be with your family.

>15 cyderry: Cheli, I'm so sorry to hear this. Echoing the others, take all the time you need, your family is your priority right now. Take care.

Cheli-sorry to hear your news. Take care!

First ROOT for May and #7 for the year so far. The review is on my thread and no tickers updated.

I've added my second ROOT for May (#26 for the year) to my ticker only.

Second ROOT for May and #8 for the year so far. The review is on my thread and no tickers updated.

>1 cyderry: I love the butterfly garden. I visited Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina over 30 years ago, and I remember sitting in an area with flowers that were covered by hundreds of butterflies. It was so peaceful. Checking their current website, I see that they do have a specified Butterfly Garden now, but I'm not sure that it's the same place I saw when I was there. This also reminds me that I need to get busy and get the milkweed seeds that I received as a freebie from my CSA planted.

I have read 2 ROOTs so far this month (Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester and The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan), and I'm not sure if I'll be able to complete another one before the end of the month. My own ticker is updated.

I have another ROOT for May Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire. This is book 8 in the Wayward Children series. These are lots of fun to read and quick. They are novella's so all of them are under 200 pages.

I also finished Almond Blossom Appreciation Society by Chris Stewart late last night. This is book 3 in the Driving Over Lemons trilogy by this author and it was a great good fun read.

I have finished my ninth ROOT and am now at the 50/75 mark. It's a great ROOTing year for me.

>1 cyderry: the butterflies here adore my passionflower vine. In the fall they lay their eggs on it and when they hatch they eat every leaf off the bush.

I've just added #3 for May (#27 for the year) to my own ticker.

Reporting 4 Roots (in total) for the month of May. My personal ticker is updated. I did not update the group ticker. Love the butterfly theme.

I have finished two more ROOTS for the month. One has been on my TBR list forever and one was added to my TBR list last year. Rose for Winter by Laurie Lee was the one that has been on my list for a long long time and The Fury by Alex Michaelides was the one added last year. Both were very good. Nobody can write descriptive prose like Lauire Lee and I like the way Michaelides works ancient Greek texts into the modern day mysteries that he writes.

>15 cyderry: So sorry to hear this - take care.

First ROOT for May finished and #17 for the year, Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace, a ROOT since 2008 or earlier.

It is late Autumn here in New Zealand but we too have had a few Monarch butterflies earlier this month but the last of the autumn leaves have almost finished and cool wet weather prevails.
I have finally found time to update my ticker for May Last Orders by Graham Swift, The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri and Earth by John Boyne all roots for me. I hope to finish one morer before month's end.

Reporting ROOT # 16 for the year, # 4 for May

De koningsvrede by Jo Walton

We've reached the 50 goal.
Should we try for another 50?

My SIL died on Saturday so I will be busy with family gatherings for the next few days.

I will try to gather numbers sometime this weekend but won't get the June thread posted until early next week.

So sorry for your loss

My condolences to you and your family, Chèli

So sorry, Cheli; take care and remember all the good moments.

ROOT #4, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. Can I give it 6 out of 5 stars?

I'm still tracking with 4 ROOTs for May and 30 overall. My own ticker is updated.

It's been a revelation to track my ROOTs by year acquired: boy did I hoard a lot of books last year! I've already read 20 of them and I feel like I've barely made a dent. I'm trying to be more mindful about accumulating new books this year.

>39 cyderry: I'm so sorry for your loss.

Second ROOT for May and #18 for the year with Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.

>39 cyderry: I'm so sorry, Cheli. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.